DESPITE having to travel across the Nullarbor in round one, the Crows will be buoyed by their draw for the start of the 2010 season.
Adelaide plays just two of 2009’s top eight sides, the Western Bulldogs and Carlton, in the opening eight rounds and will need to capitalise on this favourable start if it is to be a genuine top-four contender.
The Crows face only three of this season's finalists twice next year - the Bulldogs, St Kilda and the Brisbane Lions.
Adelaide will play cross-town rivals Port Adelaide twice, with Showdowns scheduled for rounds six and 17.
The Crows’ travel itinerary includes six trips to Melbourne, two to WA and one each to Launceston and the Gabba, while Neil Craig’s charges will avoid stopovers at the SCG and Skilled Stadium.
Adelaide faces just one road-double in 2010 but it comes at almost the worst possible time.
The Crows will head to Brisbane to take on the Lions in round 20 before backing up in a semi-final rematch against Collingwood at the MCG.
Adelaide will round out a tough finish to the year by hosting grand finalists St Kilda in an unspecified timeslot in round 22.
The Crows will be Fox Sports’ favourites in 2010, with 16 games scheduled for the pay TV network compared to just five on free-to-air. Television coverage of round 22 has yet to be decided.
One of the free-to-air games will be in round 16 when Adelaide hosts reigning premiers Geelong in a Friday night blockbuster.
The Cats clash is just one of two Friday night games for the Crows, who unsuccessfully lobbied for a bigger slice of the prime-time pie.
